ENR

Oct 14, 2019

The National Transportation Safety Board’s Oct. 8 release of documents related to its FIU bridge collapse investigation raises questions but provides no definitive conclusions about why the partially built structure suddenly crashed to the ground on March 15, 2018, killing six.

The Florida International University Tragedy

Before Collapse, Communications Failed to Save Bridge Project

Scott Judy

October 9, 2019

7 Comments

In reports submitted to the NTSB, FIGG Bridge Engineers and MCM blame each other for the fatal collapse of the pedestrian bridge project.

Construction Workforce

Construction Sept. Jobless Rate Falls, Matching Industry's 10-Year Low

Tom Ichniowski

October 4, 2019

No Comments

Industry's jobless rate dips to 3.2% in September from August's 3.6% and year-earlier 4.1%, BLS says.

Environmental Regulation

Court Battle Underway Over Revamped Endangered Species Rules

Tom Ichniowski

October 7, 2019

No Comments

Court is expected to consolidate a Sept. 25 lawsuit from attorneys general of 17 states, New York City and the District of Columbia with earlier one filed by environmental groups.

Supreme Court Set to Alter Law on Key Project, Workforce Issues

Mary B. Powers

Debra K. Rubin

October 16, 2019

No Comments

As new term starts, justices' views in cases from pipeline project routes to LGBTQ bias in the workplace could be surprising, observers say. >

Precast Standards' Work Under Way as Brittle Fracture Warnings Aired

Nadine M. Post

October 9, 2019

No Comments

American Concrete Institute says its first-ever initiative to develop a precast standard is not related to an article in Concrete International that sounds the alarm about the potential for brittle failures of non-code-compliant precast, prestressed-concrete double-T parking decks, with flanges reinforced with a high-strength polymer-coated carbon-fiber grid product, called C-Grid.

Railroads

Long-Stalled $1.5B Utah Railroad Project Now On Right Track

Brian Fryer

October 2, 2019

No Comments

Plans for a long-sought freight railway in northeastern Utah are moving forward through a public-private partnership and the support of state and local officials.

Debra K. Rubin

October 6, 2019

No Comments

Agency cites strong-arm enforcement, but design registration group will appeal, claiming approach was to prevent fee dumping.

Replacement of Collapsed Genoa Bridge Slated To Open Next Year

Peter Reina

October 7, 2019

No Comments

Investigation continues into 2018 collapse of old viaduct.

Power

PacifiCorp To Add Solar and Wind Capacity, Retire Coal Plants, in 2019 Resource Plan

Scheme would shutter 20 of 24 coal-fired units, add battery storage

Corinne Grinapol

October 9, 2019

No Comments

Sierra Club says transition could be even faster; Wyoming legislature wants plants to be sold instead of shut down.

Dodge Report Finds Owners, Contractors Still at Odds Over Project Management Software

Dual entry of data an ongoing problem

Jeff Rubenstone

October 9, 2019

No Comments

The problem of dual entry and having to maintain parallel project management platforms remains a persistent problem in construction, according to a new SmartMarket Report from Dodge Data & Analytics.

Procore Releases Construction Owners, Analytics Products at Groundbreak

4,000 attend company's annual conference in Phoenix as possible IPO looms

Jeff Yoders

October 9, 2019

No Comments

Procore Technologies, Inc., showed off new products for owners, business analytics for construction and a community forum at its annual Groundbreak conference in Phoenix, Ariz.

Tradeswomen Gather Globally To Push Career Growth Agenda

Debra K. Rubin

October 5, 2019

One Comment

Women in crafts build skills, solidarity and success at events in Manila (above), Sydney, Papua, New Guinea—and in Minneapolis, which had record crowd of 2,800.